Chapter 418: Old Friends from Tianbao City, Granting Pills and Treasures

The person he was looking for was Situ Hong. He was one of the few people Wang Yu truly knew from his humble beginnings who were still alive.

After the Blood Abyss trial, Ghost Mother Peach died by Wang Yu's hand, bringing her complete liberation. She had been with him for decades. The two were not far apart in age, with Wang Yu being only about a decade younger. If not for the incident with the Nine Evil Sword Lord, he would have visited Tianbao City long ago.

After Guiling City was reclaimed by the Zhuo clan, his "confidants"—Qingyang Hermit and Xu Ruozhou—followed his remote instructions and reaped a substantial harvest. After absconding with the funds and regrouping with Situ Hong, they settled in Tianbao City for cultivation. This place, much like the Golden Toad City of the Jin clan from the Heavenly Pond, was ideal for rogue cultivators. The order was strict enough that most matters could be resolved with spirit stones.

In the past, Wang Yu had participated in Tianbao City's Earth-grade auction and unexpectedly acquired materials for a Nascent Soul Pill, thus offending the Yin-Yang Sect Master, who was also a late-stage Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator. However, the Yin-Yang Sect had only one Nascent Soul cultivator, him. With no successors, it would likely disappear within a few centuries. It also had some ties to the Heaven Refining Demonic Sect. Wang Yu knew he had offended the sect master, but the sect master might not know Wang Yu was his enemy. At most, based on the location of his only son's death, he might suspect the culprit was someone from the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect, which had no direct connection to Wang.

If there was a weakness, it lay with the three external helpers he had enlisted at the time. The families behind Qiao and Chu already had pill-related business dealings with him, so there was no need to overthink them. The only real vulnerability was the person he had introduced to Guiling for development. He had forgotten the specific name, as he hadn't been active in that area for too long.

Tianbao City stood in the southeast of Blood Abyss Province, occupying a large neutral zone and bordering Flowing Mortar Province, home to the Heaven Refining Demonic Sect. Previously, it would have taken at least over a month to reach. Now, with his Nascent Soul escape speed, even if his Aurora Escape technique hadn't advanced, it was only a journey of a few days. He was also considering the future support for Black Mountain Pass. He also needed a few capable subordinates under him.

Therefore, his visit this time was both to reclaim the spirit stones and to formally bring Qingyang and Xu Ruozhou into the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect, seamlessly integrating them into the ongoing war between righteous and demonic cultivators. Given their cultivation levels, they also needed this opportunity. On the path of cultivation, besides encountering benefactors, opportunity is crucial. It's a truth that those who dare to fight to the death, as long as they survive, will eventually make a name for themselves.

Four days later, the magnificent and vast Tianbao City came into view. The floating immortal mountains suspended in the sky were all Nascent Soul daoist sanctums, serving as Tianbao City's way of flexing its power. With so many Nascent Soul cultivators overseeing, who would dare to cause trouble in Tianbao City?

In contrast, while the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect also valued order, they held human life in low regard. They believed true essence was forged in blood and fire. The numerous "Killing Alleys" in the Ten Blood Reversal Sect Districts might not have existed without their tacit approval. As a commercial hub, order was Tianbao City's top priority. There was a rumor that a direct descendant of a Nascent Soul Patron, who tried to buy things in the city without paying spirit stones, was immediately dealt with, receiving an especially severe punishment: their cultivation was crippled. This widely known "secret incident" established a highly positive image for Tianbao City. Its ability to develop to its current extent was largely due to its excellent reputation.

Of course, the aftermath of this event was not something everyone was privy to. The crippled Nascent Soul descendant was, in fact, saved by a secret treasure from the Tianbao Pavilion, and even broke through their previous limits, advancing further in cultivation. That Nascent Soul Patron was thereafter eternally grateful to the Tianbao Pavilion, becoming a loyal devotee.

Such methods Jinman Tower had also used, but with less success. Moreover, Tianbao Pavilion was a mercantile organization with a rotating leadership system. Clans from both Scarlet Kite and Taihu had joined, and the position of Pavilion Master rotated among six families. Jinman Tower, however, was a family enterprise. While it couldn't compare to Tianbao Pavilion in terms of top-tier experts, its strength lay in unity, having started as a family business and maintained that structure. Logically, the former should have had fiercer and more unscrupulous competition, as there was no bloodline tie to bind them. Yet, in reality, the internal competition within Jinman Tower was more despicable, employing every conceivable tactic. How Tianbao Pavilion achieved such harmony remained their secret. Wang Yu was also unsure.

His thoughts were somewhat jumbled. After entering the city, Wang Yu used a communication artifact to contact Situ Hong. It was a pair of jade pendants, with a much greater communication range than sound transmission jade talismans. However, they could only communicate with each other; their versatility was low.

The communication went smoothly. After agreeing to meet at Luding Restaurant in the city, in just half an hour, as Wang Yu leaned by the railing, he saw the four people arriving together, their expressions cautious yet tinged with excitement. With a quick sweep of his divine sense, he discerned their full details.

Qingyang Hermit, with his scholarly demeanor, green robes, and goatee, walked at the forefront. Though they hadn't met in over a hundred years, their reunion felt very familiar. After all, they had engaged in quite a few shady dealings together, a true meeting of like minds. Compared to Wang Yu, Qingyang Hermit also possessed a hypocritical nature, saying one thing and meaning another. His cultivation was at the fifth level of Core Formation. He must have gained significant benefits in Guiling City, and Tianbao City's convenience meant any treasure could be acquired. How could his cultivation speed not be fast?

Xu Ruozhou, dressed in flowing white robes with a three-foot azure blade at his hip, was Wang Yu's most outstanding soldier commander. He was, in fact, quite handsome. He had always worn armor and carried a halberd, which obscured his true appearance. After leaving Guiling City, his true nature was revealed. His dual spirit root aptitude wasn't bad, and he was now at the peak of Foundation Establishment. With the aid of a Core Formation spiritual item, further advancement shouldn't be an issue.

The one in black robes with a pallid, "kidney-deficient" face was Situ Hong. This was typical for ghost cultivators, and on top of that, he possessed peerless good looks, no less striking than Wang Yu's. He also had a fondness for beauty and desired power. In a prosperous place like Tianbao City, it would be strange if he could control his desires. He was a bit weaker, even with Wang Yu's Blood Pills replenishing his past losses. He was only at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, and it was highly questionable whether he could form a Core before his lifespan limit. Situ Hong's aptitude was somewhat weak, being merely a three-spirit root cultivator.

The last person, dressed in tight black clothing, carried a fierce blade on his back. His name was Yang Xiong, a disciple of an elder from Cold Blood Peak, a core member of the master-disciple faction, and also an accomplice who helped him ambush and kill the Yin-Yang Sect Master's only son back then. He was also the vulnerability Wang Yu had considered earlier. Unexpectedly, he had come to Tianbao City with Qingyang and the others. Yang Xiong's cultivation was the highest; after years apart, he had reached the eighth level of Core Formation. As for whether he could break through to Nascent Soul... most likely not. Even with Nascent Soul-forming treasures assisting him, his foundation was still lacking. Wang Yu had attempted this breakthrough himself and trusted his own judgment. When it came to foundation, it was essentially seeing through appearances to the essence. Judging the strength of one's three treasures—essence, qi, and spirit—to determine their foundation was quite accurate. Yang Xiong's three treasures were not as robust as Elder Yushu's. When Wang Yu broke through to Nascent Soul, both his physique and divine sense had already advanced, making his foundation far superior to what a "normal genius" could even dream of achieving. Wang Yu naturally wouldn't voice such a judgment. Yang Xiong's willingness to come likely stemmed from a desire to obtain Nascent Soul-forming resources or advice from Wang Yu; both possibilities existed. The news of his return to the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect and his revealed Nascent Soul cultivation had already spread throughout Scarlet Kite. His reputation was considerable, especially since the geniuses of the younger generation were generally a century older than him. Yet he was the first among them to form a Nascent Soul, which greatly amplified his renown, making him even more famous than some senior cultivators.

One party was upstairs, the other on the street below. As they looked at each other, the four grew even more excited and rushed upstairs eagerly.

"City Lord!""City Lord.""Elder Wang.""Brother Wang."

The last phrase was spoken by Situ Hong, deliberately emphasizing their close relationship, as he simultaneously pulled out a storage ring.

"All the spirit stones accumulated in Guiling are here."

"Good." Wang Yu took it and examined it: twenty million low-grade spirit stones! For him now, this was merely a small sum of resources. However, back when he had just entered Foundation Establishment, if he had such a large sum of spirit stones, he would have been grinning from ear to ear.

"I ran into some issues recently, so my arrival in Tianbao City was much later than expected. How have you all been?"

Once everyone was seated and the fine wine and delicacies were served, Wang Yu naturally began to ask questions. Xu Ruozhou, being hot-headed, was the first to speak, airing his grievances. However, his words sounded more like a complaint.

"It's been terrible! This cursed place has everything, but I have no family fortune to speak of. Just renting a cultivation cave is a huge expense; I relied entirely on Brother Yang Xiong's generosity."

"Haha..." Situ Hong gave a few awkward laughs and explained in a low voice. "These are Brother Wang's spirit stones; I couldn't bear to use them."

"That's just like you." Wang Yu sighed helplessly. He remembered telling Situ Hong to use them as needed, not to be stingy. Yet, he turned out to be a miser who wouldn't part with a single hair. Still, seeing his subordinates act this way brought him a certain satisfaction.

Qingyang Hermit, however, was as calm as ever, just like before. He understood Wang Yu and knew that he wouldn't mistreat his own people. The reason he left the Ink Sect in the first place was precisely because Wang Yu was generous with resources.

Yang Xiong had been part of this small group for some time. However, he had spent the least amount of time with Wang Yu. Knowing he was a Nascent Soul cultivator, he adopted the attitude that "the more you say, the more mistakes you make; the less you say, the fewer mistakes; say nothing, make no mistakes." He simply acted like a statue, not uttering a single word. When he was mentioned, he just gave a simple, honest smile, completely different from how he had been when he fiercely drew his blade and attacked the Yin-Yang Sect Young Master.

Seeing this, Wang Yu took out his treasured Blood Brew, a Tier 3 spiritual wine brewed from wine stones. He had a considerable amount, though he didn't drink it often. Its effects were negligible for him now, but it was a great tonic for the four others. Paired with the spiritual dishes from Luding Restaurant, they almost swallowed their tongues from delight, gaining significant benefits. Such a small return was not Wang Yu's style. Besides, he would soon take them to Black Mountain Pass to work together. If this pass could be captured, the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect would naturally launch a counterattack against Taihu. Wang Yu suspected that the sect's cooperation with the Heaven Refining Demonic Sect likely involved this very point. The Heaven Refining Demonic Sect's attitude towards the Void Heaven Sword Sect was like a dog seeing excrement, a cat seeing a mouse, or a rabbit seeing a carrot—they craved the Ancient Demonic Spawn suppressed by the Sword Sect's mountain gate to the point of hallucination. This was a well-known fact! On the other hand, he also wanted to raid Taihu and plunder extensively! While being a vanguard against demons was satisfying, being a demonic cultivator was even more enjoyable and aligned better with his nature, as he didn't have to worry about offending anyone.

The strength of the four needed to be reinforced.

After a few rounds of drinks and dishes, Wang Yu rubbed his Sea Heart Ring and distributed spiritual pills one by one. The pills given to Situ Hong were primarily Blood Pills, which could compensate for the years of depletion caused by Ghost Mother's cultivation methods. Supplemented by a Human Cultivation Pill, this left the recipient profoundly grateful. Yang Xiong and Qingyang Hermit also received mostly Human Cultivation Pills as rewards. Wang Yu had the most of these, having killed too many Golden Core cultivators during his years as the Ice Demonic Disciple. He still possessed many Golden Cores. He could refine them whenever he wished. He even had materials for Nascent Soul Human Pills, but his Human Pill refining technique wasn't high enough quality, which risked wasting two Nascent Souls. Xu Ruozhou was more problematic; what he lacked most was a Core Formation spiritual item. Wang Yu simply gave him five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones for him to save up and purchase one himself.

In addition, he also displayed dozens of Tier 3 magical artifacts for them to choose from. These were also acquired during his time as the Ice Demonic Disciple, from the Golden Core cultivators who caused chaos in Maple Province. They had not only contributed their essence and vital energy but also their life's savings, which now remained in his hands—all exquisite items or those made from special refining materials. They were suitable for melting down and re-refining, as crafting Tier 4 magical artifacts required many Tier 3 auxiliary materials. Up to now, almost all the items he had used in his cultivation were plundered. Now, with the Demon Refining Art: Artifact Chapter, he was free from the constraints of blueprints and could craft suitable magical artifacts at will. Most of his strength lay in his divine abilities and miraculous techniques. His need for magical artifacts wasn't particularly great.

Qingyang Hermit chose a set of Five-Element Rings, a top-grade magical artifact that could attack, defend, and restrain enemies—a versatile excellent item. Xu Ruozhou chose a great halberd. It was a bit strenuous to use, but he was still overjoyed. In his eyes, Wang Yu was unbelievably generous. The best decision he had ever made in his life was to follow Wang Yu. Indeed, upon reflection, if Wang Yu had been in their shoes and encountered such a benefactor who readily bestowed top-grade magical artifacts, he too would have remembered the kindness and dedicated himself to them... though dying for them would be out of the question. Situ Hong chose a flying shuttle artifact, also top-grade, emphasizing speed. He evidently guessed where Wang Yu intended to take them next. Yang Xiong selected a battle armor artifact. He excelled in close combat, and his physique was not weak, thanks to his cultivation of the Yin-Sha Profound Blade Art. However, he was not as strong as pure body cultivators or the pointy-headed brutes from Savage Ghost Peak. This blade art was quite good. Wang Yu had also looked into it when choosing cultivation techniques back then.

The gifts of pills and treasures, combined with the fine wine and delicacies, brought them much closer, even after years apart. Spending a bit more time together, and their relationship would be just like before. Wang Yu then brought up the main topic.

"I presume you've heard about the sect's major movements in recent years. I've decided to take you all to Black Mountain Pass. Qingyang and Ruozhou will also be able to formally join the Holy Sect. What are your thoughts?"

Having accepted the gifts, they naturally couldn't refuse now. Xu Ruozhou wanted to seize the opportunity to form a Core, and participating in the righteous-demonic war was the best choice. With Wang Yu, a Nascent Soul powerhouse, looking after them, they wouldn't simply become cannon fodder. Situ Hong shared the same idea. As for Yang Xiong, there was no need to elaborate. He was already obligated to participate in the war, and following Wang Yu meant he would receive many benefits. It was simply the principle of enjoying the shade under a big tree. After a moment of hesitation, Qingyang also nodded. He didn't mind participating in the war, as long as he was with Wang Yu. Privately, he would have preferred to go to the Cloud Ridge Province battlefield, as the Path of Painting he cultivated was neither popular nor common. If he wanted a Nascent Soul-level cultivation technique, he would have to look in Dongji City. However, going to Black Mountain Pass was also acceptable. After all, he was still far from Nascent Soul cultivation, and such thoughts remained merely speculative, as he had little confidence in breaking through.